Catrigg Force and Attermire Scar.
Start. Langcliffe.
Route. Langcliffe - Pike Lane - Dicks Ground Plantation - Lower Winskill - Catrigg Force - Malham Road - Warrendale - Jubilee Cave - Victoria Cave - Attermire Scar - Warrendale Knotts - Langcliffe.
Notes. Come take a short walk through a vast variety of limestone scenery, from the lush green sheep pastures of the Ribble Valley, to the colourful flower meadows of the high dales, we'll visit a picturesque waterfall in a wooded gorge, before exploring the caves and scars where the high dales abruptly give way to a flat metropolitan landscape to the south, a more civilised landscape of rolling pastures, quaint villages, towns and administrative centres . Put your boots on, grab your bag and come take a wander with me on a glorious late May morning.
My day started in the small public car park at Langcliffe, to the north west corner a lane disappears between picturesque cottages, this is Pike Lane my route onto the high dales. Between dry stone walls I strolled, on reaching a field gate I stepped onto a wonderful green trod, this guided me up the hill, through meadows alive with summer flora I wandered, stiles aided my crossing of field boundaries, I soon stepped onto the lane leading to Lower Winskill. Turning my back on the farm I wandered in a north easterly direction the Pennine Bridleway now under foot, a field gate allowed access to cow pastures, I descended the field a good path guided me, at the field corner a sign announced I'd reached a wonderful woodland dell, home to a splendid waterfall, Catrigg Force. After visiting the broken cascade I re-traced my steps to the field gate before continuing along the bridleway.
A few minutes easy walking carried me to a narrow tarmac lane, this is the Malham Road, I turned right heading back towards the vast expanse of the Ribble Valley. Half a mile of road walking followed, splendid views over limestone scars easily detracted from the fact I was walking over tarmac, on reaching a cattle grid I left the road, ascending into the high valley of Warrendale. With well trod paths under foot I passed under stunning limestone scars, cliffs shone white in the early afternoon sun, I visited two caves, Jubilee and Victoria before descending in the shadow of Attamire Scar, I passed under the limestone towers, cliff and scree runs of Warrondale Knotts, this is the Craven Fault and a spectacular place it is. Heading west I ascended through large sheep pastures before a steep descent deposited me on the bridleway linking Settle and Langcliffe, half a mile of easy walking with delightful views for company followed, too soon I was back in Langcliffe reflecting on the mornings short excursion.
Striding out over the stoney surface of Pike Lane.
Seen from the field gate at the end of Pike Lane, the cliff walls of the Langcliffe Quarry.
The vast expanse of the Ribble Valley seen from Dicks Ground Plantation.
Looking to the scars above Warrendale from near Lower Winskill.
Lower Winskill across summer pastures.
Wonderful vistas over the Ribble Valley, seen from Lower Winskill.
Brooding, dominating the skyline to the north, Pen-y-ghent.
Descending into the water filled gorge, home to Catrigg Force.
Catrigg Force a twenty foot broken cascade.
Take a step or two back, to soak up the atmosphere in this delightful sylvan gorge.
Above Catrigg Force looking the lesser heights of Smearsett and Pot Scars.
Lime Kiln passed on the short walk along the Malham Road.
From the ascent into Warrendale, views over Ribblesdale, the limestone scars of Moughton backed by the flat top of Ingleborough.
Views across Ribblesdale, Smearsett Scar and Pot Scar to the right, to the left the Ribble Valley face of Giggleswick Scar.
The twin entrances to the not so interesting Jubilee Cave.
From the twin entrances of Jubilee Cave wonderful views over Warrendale and the Ribble Valley.
Victoria Cave, far more absorbing, discovered in 1837 clay deposits turned up animal bones dating back 130,000 years, hippos, narrow nosed rhino, elephant and spotted hyena, imagine elephants wandering around the Yorkshire Dales, after the last ice age 12,000 years ago the cave was used by hibernating brown bears, step back 11,000 years and the first signs of human occupation were found, the very first Yorkshire men left an antler harpoon point amongst the remains of reindeer bones.
From Victoria Cave stunning views over Warrendale to the flat lands of Yorkshire and Lancashire, blue/grey on the skyline Pendle Hill.
Looking back along the edge off Brent Scar to Victoria Cave.
Warrendale Knotts a feast of shattered towers of limestone, scree and cave.
Dominating the skyline Attermire Scar.
Borne at the bottom of a warm tropical ocean, ripped apart by land movement, sculptured by water and ice, Warrendale Knotts 350 million years in the making.
Cliffs dominating the western edge of Warrendale Knotts.
En route to Langcliffe looking across the Ribble Valley.
A final look to the Langcliffe Quarry, another interesting place to explore.